Greg Zyla: 1969 1/2 Dodge Super Bee Six Pack’

Greg Zyla

Monday

Oct 25, 2010 at 12:01 AMOct 25, 2010 at 8:39 PM

At mid-year 1969, Chrysler Corporation decided to up the muscle car ante with its popular Dodge Super Bee, which it introduced in 1968. Specifically, engineers took the 440-inch high-performance V8 from the R/T, added a higher lift cam, stronger connecting rods and special valve springs and then topped it off with an Edelbrock aluminum intake and three Holley two-barrel carbs. Plymouth’s Roadrunner “Six Barrel” was Dodge’s sibling and shared all mechanicals.

At mid-year 1969, Chrysler Corporation decided to up the muscle car ante with its popular Dodge Super Bee, which it introduced in 1968. Specifically, engineers took the 440-inch high-performance V8 from the R/T, added a higher lift cam, stronger connecting rods and special valve springs and then topped it off with an Edelbrock aluminum intake and three Holley two-barrel carbs. Plymouth’s Roadrunner “Six Barrel” was Dodge’s sibling and shared all mechanicals.

Welcome to the boulevards of America the 440 Super Bee Six Pack, a 390-horsepower intermediate that to this day is in high demand at auctions, and second in MOPAR popularity only to the 426 Hemi cars of the era. MOPAR, by the way, stands for “Motor Parts” and is the automobile parts and service arm of Chrysler Group LLC. First promoted by Chrysler in the 1920s, MOPAR is still used to this day, although the taxonomy is most associated as a “calling card” for any Chrysler built vehicle.

The 1969 ½ Six Pack, a $462.80 option, featured distinctive exterior trim and sold for approximately $4,200 delivered. A flat black fiberglass lift-off hood saved weight, as did the “hubcapless” black steel wheels. Built on the Coronet R/T platform, the Six Pack Super Bee found its way into only 1,907 driveways that year.

Available with either a four-speed manual or Torqueflite automatic, all Six Packs featured Dana 60 posi rear ends and 4:10 gears, making it an immediate straight-line terror. Dodge also built the Super Bee Six Pack in 1970, but the popular model continues to be the 1969½ version.

As Six Pack Dodge and Six Barrel Plymouth popularity flourished, eventually ending up in Challengers and Barracudas, Chrysler decided to end its relationship with Edelbrock after just 1,500 aluminum manifolds were installed on the early 1969 ½ Plymouth and Dodge 3x2 cars. Instead, Chrysler installed a heavy cast-iron intake to replace what they felt was a “too expensive” Edelbrock unit, the latter which carried an official Chrysler part number P04529056.

Today, MOPAR fans can convert their single 4-barrel 440 to a “Six Pack” thanks to Vic Edelbrock still offering the 3x2 aluminum manifold and Holley the 3x2 carbs. If you want a pristine original Six Pack car, expect to pay $65,000 or more.